


Cryptic

by Milkywaydrinker



Category: Infinity Train (Cartoon)
Genre: I love their dynamic so much it's unreal, Just buds being pals, Other, aftermath of the finale, stupid mixed with serious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:21:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22246246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Milkywaydrinker/pseuds/Milkywaydrinker
Summary: Living in the real world has it's own challenges so it sure is great to have a friend that will always have your back.Or as I call it:Two goofballs talk and laugh in the woods.
Relationships: a bit of Jesse/Lake if you squint
Comments: 19
Kudos: 194





	Cryptic

**Author's Note:**

> Check the end for notes.

“Soo... What's the plan now?” Jesse asked, his voice uncertain but earnestly curious.

“Dunno” a small rock skidded along the well-travelled woodland path and stopped after hitting a tree trunk with a loud thunk. ”I never really thought I would get this far...” she kicked another rock and sent it flying into a nearby berry bush ”My options are kinda limited.”

“What do you mean? You can do whatever you want now.” Jesse frowned. ”You're finally free for real. No mirror police. No freaky train weirdness. Just you and the real world.” He spun around with his arms stretched out, as if he wanted to show off wideness of the open space around them. The effect was unfortunately spoiled when he tripped on a tree root and flopped on the ground with a pained groan.

“C'mon ‘Mr.Worldwide’.” Lake scoffed, but her pretended annoyance wasn't working on him anymore.

“No, you come on.” He said through laughter, still on the ground and with a wide grin on his face. He stretched his arms up and wiggled his fingers. ”I've fallen and I can't get up. Oh do save me my dearest and most helpful friend.” Despite her best efforts she couldn't keep a straight face at that.

“Have you been hanging out with the theatre kids or something?” she said while picking him up.

“Eh. I'm trying out some new things.” he started to dust himself off, handful of small sticks and pine needles still clinging onto his jersey. She moved behind him to pluck them from his back.

“You look like an overgrown hedgehog.” there was a bit of silence between them after that. Jesse seemed uncharacteristically deep in thought. Lake decided to ignore it and just walked along. She had her own share of thinking to do anyways. She wasn't kidding when she said her options were limited. Despite her best efforts to ignore what Mace has said back then, she had to admit, bastard was kind of right. She couldn't just go to school like Tulip or Jesse. She had no documents or any actual evidence of her existence as a person. All in all she was just a weird, metal girl with nothing to her name besides the clothes on her back. The more time she spent living beyond the train the more she realised how poorly adjusted she actually was.

Before she realised where they were going they somehow looped back to her camp on the edge of the forest. Jesse stopped near the improvised fire pit and sighed.

“You know, I've been thinking...”

Lake snickered “Good for you”

He turned to her with a somewhat of a stern expression on his face, eyebrows furrowed and lips pressed together into a thin line, which surprised her enough to shut her up. “For real though, you can't stay like this” he gestured towards the camp. Her temporary home consisted of a lean to made out of pine branches and a sleeping bag he snuck out for her. She kind of had to admit that it wasn’t all that impressive, but hey, she never stayed at one place longer than two days before so this was still a pretty decent way to get by from her perspective.

“It's fine. I'm used to roughing it. I'm outdoorsy.” It was weird. Was he seriously worried about something like this?

“I know you're tough but that's beside the point.” He walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “You should come with me. My parents would understand. We'll find a place for you.”

Lake felt a burning blush spread on her face. “I, uh, I d-dunno.”She stuttered. His hands felt hot. As if his touch would melt her. She stepped away and rubbed her arms awkwardly. “I wouldn't want to intrude. You've done so much for me already.”

„Are you kidding me?” He almost shouted. “It's only thanks to you I was able to leave the train at all. Without you I would probably get stuck in the Tree Cart or would've gotten brainwashed by Apex.” He stepped closer again. This time he gently took her hands into his. She had noticed that he started doing that more often recently. Ever since she came with him two weeks ago he became even more affectionate than before. Of course, he was extremely friendly and open since the beginning but this felt different somehow. He ran his thumb on the back of her hand and for the first time she noticed how much... Smaller she was from him. Did he have a growth spurt? Her thoughts were running wild and she couldn't focus.

“I think I owe you. A lot. So please, allow me to help you” That almost desperate plea reflected in his eyes twice as strongly as in his voice. She shuddered from the sheer intensity of his feelings.

“You keep asking me to come. We've talked about it already.” she slowly slipped her hands from his and lowered her eyes. “I said I'll think about it. I just need some more time. To be. Be me for a while.”

“Hey, it's fine. I'm sorry I didn't mean to put any pressure on you.” Jesse backed away, clearly embarrassed by his outburst. “It's just... If you stay out in the woods for too long you might turn into some kind of a cryptid”

This made her chuckle. ”Oh? And why is that so bad? Maybe if enough people see me we could start a rumour that the Mothman statue in West Virginia is actually accurate to life”

He grinned at that. “Oh dang that's a great idea! We could like... Start some campaign, maybe ‘The Mothman is Real and came to my carwash to get his butt cheeks waxed’ or something.” They both bursted out laughing again.

Lake chuckled, her imagination already playing out this amusing yet absolutely idiotic scenario. “Yeah, yeah. We could, we could take it even further. New conspiracy theory ‘All cryptids are actually made out of metal more at 11’.”

Jesse smiled at her again but this time there was something else to it too. “For real though. Come with me sometime. My parents still kinda don't believe me and you showing up would force them to.”

Lake looked at him, surprised. ”Wait what? Do they think I'm like, your imaginary friend or something?”

Jesse blushed and suddenly seemed very interested in his shoes. ”Uh, maybe? They might have forced me to go to the school psychologist about it…”

She winced at that. ”Sorry, it must be tough being friends with the freshest cryptid in town” The only response she got was a gentle shove and an embarrassed mumble.

**Author's Note:**

> This idea wouldn't leave my head until I put it down in writing.  
> Their dynamic is great. I love it in both romantic and platonic context. I might actually write some more of this if anyone's interested. Who knows. Maybe it will be my grand break from the writers block?


End file.
